sendero Posted November 6, 2004 Report Share Posted November 6, 2004 MX is dangerous? As compared to what? Trials? Oh, how I beg to differ... Trials is way more dangerous than MX. Tell me this aint so... It starts with the driving. Danger! Looooong drives, swirling with drunks, motorhome racers, high velocity tractor/trailer rigs, curvy mountanous roads, and cops everywhere lookin' to bust ya for speeding. Heaven forbid you have to stop for gas. Danger! You'll end up answering mundane questions about those "funny lookin' bikes", and if that aint dangerous enough for you, you could wind up listening to stories about how some guy used to do "a hunnerd mile'n hour 'cross the desert" on a what was probably a Greeves, or a Zundapp. Even if you make it to the Trials site with no citation or traffic accident, it just gets worse from there. As soon as you pull off the road, you are still in jeapoardy. Watch out for the off road cops lookin' to bust you for no sparkies, for ridin' off the existing road and trail, or blame you for somebody else's trash pile. Keep your eyes peeled for old fire pits in the middle of the road. Boxnails! Danger! Then you drive around lookin' for a camp spot, all the while pinstripin' the sides of your spiffy new ride with indigenous foliage. Not only that, but the bikes that you spent all Friday night prepping, are now covered with dust and you haven't even unloaded 'em yet. Image danger! You jump out and you're ready to party, right? Oops. You parked in somebody's "reserved spot". Danger! If you come away from that confrontation unscathed, you move to the next spot. Usually somewhere around the porta-cans. Check the wind, and step out slowly so ya don't get mowed by a pre-teen pit racer or a 65mph off-road golfcart. I carry a yellow flag with me for walkin' around in the pits. Not sayin' that they will not still "try to pass" on a yellow, but at least I'm hip to the danger. Then you suit up and go for a ride. Watch out! This is where it really gets dangerous. The course is half marked, and "marked" trails lead to nowhere till just before the event. If you see anyone ridin' anything that is not a trials bike, go the other way, or you will spend the day answering mundane questions about those "funny lookin' bikes" again, or you could get dozed by some idiot on a CR, tryin' to prove to a bunch of "old men" that he's faster than Ryan Hughes, out on the loops. Either way it's not good. Danger! So you make it back to your truck and it just gets more dangerous. There are bags of other people's trash plastered all around your truck and the ants and bees have taken over your camp. Your food is half eaten by either the ants or your buddies, you can't tell for sure, and half your beer is gone. The bees are soppin' up the half drank beers and buzzing accordingly, and the ants are lappin' up all the soda partials layin' around. You quickly police it all up, cuz the off-road cops are still in the area. Danger! Soonthereafter you notice that your spiffy new ride has been GANKED by some kid that leaned his bike (with no grips) against it, and half your race gas is gone. Your toolbox is open and your tire pump is not to be found. When you get it all put back to normal, you grab a sandwich and settle in for some partyin' by the fire. Don't let your guard down now! It aint over yet! You plop your chair by the fire, and while rubbing your smoke filled eyes, your buddy comes up and says... "Hey dude. Good to see ya again. Oh man, my bike's not runnin' right. Hey, can I grab one of them frosties, dude? Thanks." (pop-fizz) "It's never done this before. Whaddaya think?" You already know your gonna spend the rest of the evening working on other peoples' neglected stuff and lookin' around for the rest of your tools. You ever notice you're never lookin' around for the missing 15mm combo wrench? Hell no! It's always the 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, and 17, that just happens to fall out of your toolbox, or your brand new trick SK t-handle allens. While you're workin' on HIS bike, he's taken up your spot by the fire and tellin' his stories. Up walks his kid... "Hey, Sendero... I got a flat on my bike. Can I use your pump?" "Sure Kid, it should be in your DAD'S gear bag. Need a set of grips for that trick little scooter ya got there, too? HUH? HUH?" The kid quickly takes off. An hour later you've killed the rat that was livin' in his airbox, and get the bike running. You look over at the fire and there's your buddy, passed out with one of your beers spillin' all over his balls. The kid comes back... "Hey Sendero. It won't hold air. What do I do now?" It's almost dark. "What's your DAD got goin' right now?" "He's sleeping." "Wake him up!" "I can't wake him up. He'll kill me when he finds out I got another flat." "ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! I'LL FIX IT! Just don't start ballin'!" You finally get all "your" work done and grab a seat by the fire. It is now dark. You would think that the danger would have subsided by now, but no. You tell your stories and laugh at everyone else's, till 11:30pm. Ya got the party crowd blarin' Zombie on one side of the pits, and on the other side are all the people that are outraged by it. Ya just sit there, shake your head and swill, till it all fades to black. You wake up the next morning, at 5:30am, to the tune of a mini-bike with your air in it's tire, and your buddy with the now perfect running bike is all fresh, cuz he's had 14 hours of sleep, and you're all hung out cuz you didn't get to sleep till 2am. You lay there and don't move cuz you know if you get up too early there could be danger out there. You finally get up 15 minutes before rider's meeting. Ha! They don't have time to get to me now! You pop up, scramble for a cup of coffee, tape up your gashed fingers from changing a mini-tire the night before, throw your gear on real quick, and bolt for rider's meeting. You're safe! Now is the only time you not in danger... during the event. But danger does lurk... If you see a bike stopped on the loop, don't EVEN slow down. Screw it on, Baby! Blaze on thru like you're late for your own wedding! Go ahead and wave, but stopping is dangerous. Very dangerous. You ride the event, you were not in danger, and you had a great time. You police up all your stuff and... hey... what's this? You've got two bikes and THREE tie-downs. What the? Well I guess there was indeed danger during the event, but nobody got hurt, so what the hell... You rob the cords from your jacket and your sleeping bag, tie them together and lash the oldest bike down with them. Now only your oldest bike is danger, right? Nope. On the way to the highway, the knot slips, sending your oldest bike careening into the new bike and takes out the front brake master cylinder... on the new bike... Nice! You try a different knot and take off. By now you're starving. DANGER! You order up a couple Big Macs for the ride home. You jump on the highway and open up the Big Macs and you quickly remember why you swore you would never order fast food on Sunday evening ever again. They always schedule the dummies to work on Sunday evening. Real bonified morons. Danger! Count your change! But you're starving, so you eat the slop anyway and wipe the rest of it off the upholstery of your spiffy new ride, at 85 miles per hour, with the ONE napkin they gave you. Danger at high speed! The road trip home is ever bit as dangerous as the trip to the event. No need to repeat that, but add the fact that you are now very tired, covered in dried ketchup, and your ass is glued to the seat of your spiffy new ride. You finally make it home and you think the danger is over... HA! Not a chance! You pull up the driveway and there is the little Mrs. standing in the doorway, with one hand on her hip, the other hand holding a stack of bills, and volumes 3 thru 7 of her 245 page Honey-Do-List. No, my friend... Motocross isn't dangerous... TRIALS is dangerous! Sendero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric23 Posted November 6, 2004 Report Share Posted November 6, 2004 Sounds like you've been hanging around Bagger waaay too long! OK OK "dangerous" was a poor choice of verbage. What I obviously failed to get across was the very high incident of injuries caused by both crashing and repetative impacts exacerbated by the higher jumps made possible by modern suspension technology. Sendero, it was great reading another of your classics, see ya at Oak Flats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fracy Posted November 6, 2004 Report Share Posted November 6, 2004 I've been following this thread from the beginning, and although there are some great ideas, I have seen the same discussion for my 30 odd years of being in this sport! I reckon that if somebody finally comes up with a winning formula, it will be the equivalent of someone in the medical world finally finding the cure for cancer! That being said, I believe that Ishy's teachings (rather Branch Dividian sounding) are going down the right track! Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msj239 Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 Just went to the San Francisco Bike Show (Cycle World) Every manufacture, 500 new bikes, not a single trials bike to be found. Trials growth - yea right! If you want trials growth - put sections next to the motocross tracks so people can see what it is all about. MSJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliechitlins Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 Excellent idea, IMO. I have been trying to convince the few trials dealers I have known to do this for some time. I'm sure the MX track owners would be amenable, and they often have heavy equipment and may be willing to help set up a demo area. I think it's important for people to see real people ride trials, not just guys who hop from rock to tree like a squirrel. To be able to say, "Here's a guy who had some MX experience, but has been riding trials for 4 years, and look at the cool stuff he can do." AND....I got it SEVERAL times this weekend: "Can you even get one with a seat?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
city trials Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 Today I saw a 4 stroke trials bike in the new Duran Duran video, this has got to help the trials growth and sell the 4 stroke to the public all in one song (" Reach out for the Sunrise"), now we can close two threads and put the song to the song thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 AND....I got it SEVERAL times this weekend: "Can you even get one with a seat?" I hadn't really thought of it before, but how unnatural is it for a beginner to get on a bike and stand up right from the start. I would imagine it's bloody awkward??? Hard to imagine for those of us that were riding round on their dad's tank before they could talk, trials is in the blood, but I would think that many people actually feel a lot more in control when they are sat down????? Are people scared off by bikes with no seat??? Is that why Hare and Hounds is so popular??? On a slightly different track but related - My lad has a trials cycle, but it's useless for riding to school or generally knocking about with his mates, so he has to have another 'real' bike. In a similar way, if I buy a KTM 450 I can go to work on it, nip down the shops, mates house, then rag it round a track on a Sunday, and if it turns out I don't like Hare and Hounds I've not made a tit of myself. Not the same for the trials bike? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the artist formerly known as ish Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 It's funny this should come up but I rode our last club trial on the little Scorpa with a seat I acquired from Marky G, no problem in the sections and I sat my a*** down in-between sections, it's was surprising how many comments I got from other riders about how I was going just as fast as they on the trail. I tested the fit on the Sherco and it's close with a bit of tweaking but would be better if one was made to fit, I noticed the stamp under the seat said WES! is this the same wes who make the exhausts and if so why doesn't some bugger get after them to make seats for all models with a SSDT version with less padding but a zipper tool pouch in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 (edited) Just an extra thought. Who developed the seatless bike. Spanish? Japanese? Was it maybe for smaller factory riders who needed the extra movement/reach? At 6'2" I can't get my bum anywhere near the seat except when contorting myself to sit down for long road stretches, then my size 12's are scraping the floor. I've just been in the garage to try. I had a close one on the road in the Manx, when my toe got caught on a corner and flicked the back end out, all due to seating position. I vote for a seat for us freaks and old folk Makes sense to me for the road trials, especially if, as Ishy suggested, we can get some tools in it. Edited November 8, 2004 by Bikespace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabnabit Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Sendero great post. Met you a while ago at Lucerne. Comment on profiles. Please fill out location! Would like to know where everyone's from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Today I saw a 4 stroke trials bike in the new Duran Duran video, this has got to help the trials growth and sell the 4 stroke to the public all in one song (" Reach out for the Sunrise"), now we can close two threads and put the song to the song thread. I spent hours downloading that vid to see whether it was .......Sherco........Honda.......... Looks like a bloody Triumph cub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan bechard Posted November 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 I have just been watching and listening, trying to glean the knowledge from others insights and experiences. Trying to re-direct a bit and get back to the core of this thread. An interesting point came up this weekend while I was at the Trials Incorporated year end meeting. That I think is fairly central to the base of this thread, TRIALS GROWTH. This may come across as fairly corny, and for those of us that deal with it regularly, please do not shut down just because of the wording, What would the "Mission Statement" of your trials club or group be? I know many are saying, well, obviously, to hold Trials, but think it through a bit more, and try and word out exactly what your group is trying to do. Then, and no offence to our bretheren across the water, but I think we are in very different areas and experince very different problems of logistics, availability, past experiences and riding areas, this is really directed at the US folks. So what is the Mission statement for the NATC? Can your Rep word it out? Do you know who your rep is? Do you know who the president of NATC is currently? Do you know what the NATC goals are and how they plan on getting there? Is the NATC our National LEADERSHIP? More thoughts later, but would be interested in seeing others thoughts. And yes Wayne, this ties exactly with what you were saying. Point driven home to me at the meeting Saturday. So, anyway, not a slam nor slight to anyone, but I would be interested to hear what the NATC reps have to say are the answers to those questions, I know several of them read this board. And yes, I know the NATC rep from both the clubs I am a member of, spoke to one about this last weekend, and will speak to the other this weekend. But I could not tell you who the Prez is at the moment, something I will have to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
city trials Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 I spent hours downloading that vid to see whether it was .......Sherco........Honda..........Looks like a bloody Triumph cub Was this the bike bs? http://web.ask.com/redir?bpg=http%3a%2f%2f...snip&Complete=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikespace Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 You only get a brief glimpse of it. Alloy tank, half painted yellow, but I was looking at the engine and it just struck me as being a cub. Been a while though for me so I wouldn't be surprised if it's a C15 or summat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sendero Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 (edited) Eric, Admittedly, it does sound a lot like Bagg, but he's not getting the credit for this one. Bagg would have faked the whole thing and watched from the fire pit with one eye open. That's why I like him. He's no dummy. Dabnabit, Howzitgoin' ? I always remember a smiling face and a positive attitude! Update: I had to have my Trials Growth removed. It was offensive to too many people, and for that I apolgize. Sorry... Edited November 12, 2004 by Sendero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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